Until recently, I knew only that La Commune had been a brief, 19th century revolt by Parisian workers (les Communards or les Fédérérs) against the elected government. I was also aware that one of the final battles of the insurrection took place in Père Lachaise and that a number of the Communards were subsequently executed against a wall in that cemetery, known as La Mur des Fédérérs.
An exhibit at the Hotel de Ville celebrating the 140th anniversary of La Commune provided a welcome opportunity to learn more.
La Commune officially began on March 18,1871 and ended on May 28 just over 2 months later. During the final, bloody week ("La Semaine Sanglante"), thousands were killed and Paris was set aflame by the insurgents.
Although we had always understood La Commune to have been a revolt by extremists, the exposition suggested a nobility in the workers' movement that is worthy of commemoration. How much of the pro-Communards bias is due to the fact that the current Mayor of Paris is a socialist is hard to tell. One thing is certain, however, In some areas of the city, the support for the goals of La Commune 140 years later is evident.
(This photograph was taken in the 20th Arrondissement not far from the apartment where we stay in Paris.)
This political framework does not begin to explain the events of 1871, however.
I was surprised to learn that La Commune would not have happened as it did had it not been for the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, a war of choice started by Napoleon III that turned disastrous for France and for Napoleon's tenure as Emperor.
Two days after Napoleon III lost his final battle to the Prussian army at Sedan in the Ardennes, the Third Republic was proclaimed. National elections resulted in an Assembly Nationale eager for peace with the Prussians. Despite the fact that France's capital had suffered much during the war and was still a city under siege, the citizenry passionately opposed capitulation.
When the President of the new Republic ordered removal of defensive canons from the hills of Montmartre, Parisians resisted with force resulting in many deaths on both sides The legitimate government fled the capital for Versailles in the dead of night taking the military with it and leaving Paris to its citizens.
Staunchly in favor of workers' rights and passionate about not yielding the capital to the Prussians, the Parisians moved quickly to fill the void in local government. An 83 member assembly was elected composed of workers, small business owners, journalists and members of other professions. A large number of those elected were in their thirties. Laws were proclaimed improving the lot of workers (e.g., a prohibition on requiring all night work in bakeries). La Commune, in all its idealism, was born.
Meanwhile, the legitimately elected government (now headquartered in Versailles and known as les "Versaillais") made peace with Prussia (ceding Alsace and Lorraine in the process).
It was time to bring an end to the insurrection. The Versaillais marched to the capital city and moved decisively against the insurgents. Following a deadly Semaine Sanglante during which the Versaillais fought the Communards in skirmishes and battles throughout the city, the Versaillais achieved their goal. In the process, the Communards burned or destroyed many of Paris' important buildings and monuments.
Looking at the many photographs and period prints of Paris burning that are on display at the Hotel de Ville exhibit leaves one with a feeling of how impressive and overwhelming the destruction must have been during that final week.
The cost in lives was high: Tens of thousands of French on both sides of the insurrection were killed.
In the aftermath, some of the insurgents were executed. Many were imprisoned or deported (including women and children). Nine years later, however, the government granted the Communards amnesty.
What to do with the damaged buildings and monuments was the subject of debate. In the end, it was decided that restoration was the answer.
One exception was the Palais des Tuileries. The impressive ruins of the palace that had been home to all of the 19th century kings of France were razed.
There would be no more kings or emperors.
La Mur des Fédérés
Pere Lachaise Cemetery
fascinating!
Posted by: George Fillmore | April 14, 2011 at 03:24 PM